International midfielder: Arsenal and Liverpool tracked me and I have held talks with Wenger

17th August, 2016, 7:07 AM

By Will Butcher

Guinea international midfielder Naby Keita has revealed that he held talks with Arsene Wenger before he signed for Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

The highly-rated 21-year-old joined the promoted German side this summer for £13million, despite interest from Arsenal, Manchester City, Southampton and Liverpool.

Speaking to German publication Die Welt, the former Red Bull Salzburg star also revealed that he dreams of playing for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Asked which clubs had contacted him, Keita told Die Welt: “Arsenal, Southampton, Manchester City and Liverpool, although I have since not spoken with the coach.

“I didn’t have contact with Jurgen Klopp, but I did have contact with Arsene Wenger who speaks French.

“I am with RB because it is an exciting club with great potential. It is too early to move to a Champions League club. If RB evolved as quickly and successfully as in the past, then I can make my next move here and grow.

“I hope that I can reach the level of these clubs in two or three years. They include Barcelona, but could also be Manchester City or Real Madrid.”

Keita alerted Europe’s elite after producing some sparkling form in the Austrian Bundesliga, scoring 12 goals and adding eight assists in just 29 league and cup encounters from midfield.

The £13million starlet signed a four-year deal, after becoming an Austrian champions twice in two years with the Red Bulls.

Wenger has continued his reputation for favouring youth this summer, after signing Bolton’s Rob Holding and Japanese dynamo Takuma Asano.